Halo 3: ODST
The fact that they called it Halo 3 colon blah rather than Halo 4 should tell you everything you need to know about the game. It's more Halo 3, with the same gameplay, weapons, vehicles, and story. The plot, drop troops in occupied New Mombasa, basically amounts to a footnote in the Halo mythology. And playing as a non-superpowered helljumper is no different than playing as a SPARTAN. Sure, you don't have shields, but your character is still pretty damn tough on normal difficulty.
It's also really, really short. To compensate, the developers included a second disk with Halo 3 multiplayer, but there are only a few new maps.
There's no way in hell this game is worth $60, but hardcore Halo fans will find more of what they enjoy.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Zombieland
Directed by Ruben Fleischer
Starring
Jesse Eisenberg
Woody Harrelson
Emma Stone
Another month, another zombie apocalypse. Zombieland doesn't break any new ground so much as cast a more humorous slant on the genre's tropes, much like Shawn of the Dead. But whereas Shawn preferred to riff on classic films, Zombieland is more directly influenced by zombie video games like Dead Rising or Left 4 Dead. The rules of surviving a zombie apocalypse (don't use public bathrooms, double tap in the head) are displayed prominently for the audience's benefit. And unlike most video game-to-movie translations, Zombieland works precisely because it understands what gamers love about zombie games: brutal carnage as the heroes slaughter the undead in creative ways.
The story, unfortunately, is fairly predictable. Jesse Eisenberg (doing his best Michael Cera impersonation) plays Columbus, a sad-sack nerd who survives the first outbreak of zombie flu because he's so isolated. Like all Hollywood leading men, he has to learn the values of love and manly courage. To help him with the former, he meets the lovely but devious Emma Stone. But most of the film follows Columbus as he hitches a ride with Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a borderline lunatic who's become a zombie-killing artiste. And there's a very funny cameo by a former Ghostbuster.
There honestly isn't much more to say about Zombieland. If watching Woody Harrelson beat zombies with a baseball bat appeals to you, you'll probably enjoy this flick. The rest of the film amounts to a reasonably entertaining diversion.
Starring
Jesse Eisenberg
Woody Harrelson
Emma Stone
Another month, another zombie apocalypse. Zombieland doesn't break any new ground so much as cast a more humorous slant on the genre's tropes, much like Shawn of the Dead. But whereas Shawn preferred to riff on classic films, Zombieland is more directly influenced by zombie video games like Dead Rising or Left 4 Dead. The rules of surviving a zombie apocalypse (don't use public bathrooms, double tap in the head) are displayed prominently for the audience's benefit. And unlike most video game-to-movie translations, Zombieland works precisely because it understands what gamers love about zombie games: brutal carnage as the heroes slaughter the undead in creative ways.
The story, unfortunately, is fairly predictable. Jesse Eisenberg (doing his best Michael Cera impersonation) plays Columbus, a sad-sack nerd who survives the first outbreak of zombie flu because he's so isolated. Like all Hollywood leading men, he has to learn the values of love and manly courage. To help him with the former, he meets the lovely but devious Emma Stone. But most of the film follows Columbus as he hitches a ride with Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a borderline lunatic who's become a zombie-killing artiste. And there's a very funny cameo by a former Ghostbuster.
There honestly isn't much more to say about Zombieland. If watching Woody Harrelson beat zombies with a baseball bat appeals to you, you'll probably enjoy this flick. The rest of the film amounts to a reasonably entertaining diversion.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
True Blood Finale
Been a while since I posted, but I thought I'd yak a bit about the season finale of True Blood.
The season started off with so much promise, with copious amounts of blood and nudity. But about midway through, the show completely ran out of steam. It didn't help that the slightly more interesting plot in Dallas ended first, meaning that the last few episodes focused entirely on the interminable maenad story. I could have gone without scene after scene of Jason being comic relief, or Hoyt's fat mom dancing around like an idiot.
The season finale somewhat redeemed the show by killing off the maenad early and spending the rest of the episode setting up more interesting plots for next season. But True Blood needs to get back to its first principles. And by first principles, I mean T&A. This is HBO damnit!
The season started off with so much promise, with copious amounts of blood and nudity. But about midway through, the show completely ran out of steam. It didn't help that the slightly more interesting plot in Dallas ended first, meaning that the last few episodes focused entirely on the interminable maenad story. I could have gone without scene after scene of Jason being comic relief, or Hoyt's fat mom dancing around like an idiot.
The season finale somewhat redeemed the show by killing off the maenad early and spending the rest of the episode setting up more interesting plots for next season. But True Blood needs to get back to its first principles. And by first principles, I mean T&A. This is HBO damnit!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Two Games Worth Getting
Shadow Complex
I've never had much interest in the content of Xbox Live Arcade, but Shadow Complex completely redefines what gamers can expect from downloadable content. At first glance, it's just a two-dimensional shooter (like Metroid) with some very nice graphics. But the game is superbly designed, with a variety of weapons and items, inventive use of three dimensions in an 2-D game, and a surprisingly well-written story. Not to give too much away, but you play as an average joe with an above average amount of training in combat, who finds himself trapped inside the massive headquarters of a shadowy group determined to overthrow the United States government. By the end of the game, you've become an unstoppable bad-ass in power armor.
There's a number of different ways that the player can beat the main story, and also a challenge mode where players can test their skills getting through various obstacle courses. And the entire thing costs only $15.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
A licensed game based upon a comic book that doesn't suck! That alone would probably make Arkham Asylum worth checking out, but it isn't just a great comic book game, it's an outstanding game period. The story is straightforward: Batman captures the Joker and brings him back to Arkham Asylum, but Joker's pals have already seized control of the prison and are in the process of using it as a base to launch an all-out attack on Gotham City.
The gameplay is quite varied. You can get into fistfights with dozens of Joker's goons, using a combo system that seems facile but actually allows for some remarkably complex combat. Or you can stalk your enemies as a silent predator, leaving them dangling from gargoyles or knocking them out with your batarangs. There's also an investigation mode that's simple but helps break up the monotony of the fights. And there are a ton of collectibles, as well as clues left by the Riddler.
And the game looks gorgeous. If you're a fan of Batman, this game is a must get. Even if you couldn't care less about Batman, it's worth checking out.
I've never had much interest in the content of Xbox Live Arcade, but Shadow Complex completely redefines what gamers can expect from downloadable content. At first glance, it's just a two-dimensional shooter (like Metroid) with some very nice graphics. But the game is superbly designed, with a variety of weapons and items, inventive use of three dimensions in an 2-D game, and a surprisingly well-written story. Not to give too much away, but you play as an average joe with an above average amount of training in combat, who finds himself trapped inside the massive headquarters of a shadowy group determined to overthrow the United States government. By the end of the game, you've become an unstoppable bad-ass in power armor.
There's a number of different ways that the player can beat the main story, and also a challenge mode where players can test their skills getting through various obstacle courses. And the entire thing costs only $15.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
A licensed game based upon a comic book that doesn't suck! That alone would probably make Arkham Asylum worth checking out, but it isn't just a great comic book game, it's an outstanding game period. The story is straightforward: Batman captures the Joker and brings him back to Arkham Asylum, but Joker's pals have already seized control of the prison and are in the process of using it as a base to launch an all-out attack on Gotham City.
The gameplay is quite varied. You can get into fistfights with dozens of Joker's goons, using a combo system that seems facile but actually allows for some remarkably complex combat. Or you can stalk your enemies as a silent predator, leaving them dangling from gargoyles or knocking them out with your batarangs. There's also an investigation mode that's simple but helps break up the monotony of the fights. And there are a ton of collectibles, as well as clues left by the Riddler.
And the game looks gorgeous. If you're a fan of Batman, this game is a must get. Even if you couldn't care less about Batman, it's worth checking out.
Monday, August 17, 2009
District 9
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you combined Halo, apartheid, and Peter Jackson? You'd get a fairly entertaining action/sci-fi romp set in South Africa.
Produced by Jackson and directed by Neill Blomkamp, District 9 follows the story of alien refugees who arrive on Earth for reasons never entirely explained, and settle in South Africa for reasons never entirely explained. Initial enthusiasm for aliens quickly gives way to weariness as South Africa is forced to carry most of the burden for housing and feeding millions of refugees. The humans come to detest the alien settlers, who are derogatorily called Prawns because of their shrimp-like appearance. All Prawns are forced to live in a ghetto called District 9, where they're exploited by both the private corporation that runs the camp and by Nigerian gangsters who operate the black market. Both groups are trying to unlock the secret of alien weaponry, which is genetically keyed so that it can only be used by Prawns.
The first half of the film follows the decision of the South African government to move the aliens to a new concentration camp that's further away from any cities. Wikus van der Merwe, a stereotypical middle manager, is tasked with informing the Prawns that they're being evicted and obtain some sign of assent, thus providing a legal pretext for what is essentially a forced relocation. Footage of Wikus (who's an interesting mix of cheerfulness, ambition, and racism) doing his job is mixed with "documentary" footage that provides the audience with necessary background information. Things fall apart when Wikus discovers an alien liquid that everyone wants to get their hands on.
The second half is a straight-forward action film, as Wikus is pursued by both the Nigerian gangsters and the military contractors who work for his employer. There's quite a bit of gun porn, as Wikus gets to play with all the fancy alien weaponry. It's worth noting that the filmmakers responsible for District 9 were originally tasked with producing the movie adaptation of the video game Halo. Presumably, the impresive action scenes in the second half were fuck you to whoever shelved that project.
Unfortunately, the two halves of the film never quite come work together as they should. The first half is clearly an allegory for apartheid, but it also references the massive refugee crisis that currently affects large parts of Africa. The "documentary" footage works fairly well here, as it gives a realistic weight to what is ultimately a very silly premise. However, the filmmakers don't bother trying to make the aliens sympathetic, and only one of them ever exhibits anything resembling a personality. Instead, the viewers are meant to feel sympathy through a process of allegorical morality. In other words, apartheid was bad, so doing the same thing to aliens must also be bad. Despite its rather obvious moralizing, there's something appealing about the film's earnestness. It reminded me of Star Trek, back when Star Trek was all about morality plays in space.
But, if the first half is a riff on Star Trek, the second half is all Star Wars. The alien liquid becomes the MacGuffin that all the characters fight over. As the movie shifts into summer blockbuster mode, the plight of the alien race is ignored in favor of the plight of Wikus and the one friendly alien. Even the heavy-handed apartheid allegory gets lost in the gunfire and obligatory male bonding. Not surprisingly, the "documentary" footage is used less and less, as it would just get in the way of the action.
District 9 has been praised by a few critics as the return of intelligent sci-fi after years of Star Wars clones (which ironically includes the recent Star Trek remake). But District 9 is little more than a low budget blockbuster that makes a few stabs at political relevance. At the end of the day, it just isn't all that smart. But battle mechs and grav guns are really, really cool.
Produced by Jackson and directed by Neill Blomkamp, District 9 follows the story of alien refugees who arrive on Earth for reasons never entirely explained, and settle in South Africa for reasons never entirely explained. Initial enthusiasm for aliens quickly gives way to weariness as South Africa is forced to carry most of the burden for housing and feeding millions of refugees. The humans come to detest the alien settlers, who are derogatorily called Prawns because of their shrimp-like appearance. All Prawns are forced to live in a ghetto called District 9, where they're exploited by both the private corporation that runs the camp and by Nigerian gangsters who operate the black market. Both groups are trying to unlock the secret of alien weaponry, which is genetically keyed so that it can only be used by Prawns.
The first half of the film follows the decision of the South African government to move the aliens to a new concentration camp that's further away from any cities. Wikus van der Merwe, a stereotypical middle manager, is tasked with informing the Prawns that they're being evicted and obtain some sign of assent, thus providing a legal pretext for what is essentially a forced relocation. Footage of Wikus (who's an interesting mix of cheerfulness, ambition, and racism) doing his job is mixed with "documentary" footage that provides the audience with necessary background information. Things fall apart when Wikus discovers an alien liquid that everyone wants to get their hands on.
The second half is a straight-forward action film, as Wikus is pursued by both the Nigerian gangsters and the military contractors who work for his employer. There's quite a bit of gun porn, as Wikus gets to play with all the fancy alien weaponry. It's worth noting that the filmmakers responsible for District 9 were originally tasked with producing the movie adaptation of the video game Halo. Presumably, the impresive action scenes in the second half were fuck you to whoever shelved that project.
Unfortunately, the two halves of the film never quite come work together as they should. The first half is clearly an allegory for apartheid, but it also references the massive refugee crisis that currently affects large parts of Africa. The "documentary" footage works fairly well here, as it gives a realistic weight to what is ultimately a very silly premise. However, the filmmakers don't bother trying to make the aliens sympathetic, and only one of them ever exhibits anything resembling a personality. Instead, the viewers are meant to feel sympathy through a process of allegorical morality. In other words, apartheid was bad, so doing the same thing to aliens must also be bad. Despite its rather obvious moralizing, there's something appealing about the film's earnestness. It reminded me of Star Trek, back when Star Trek was all about morality plays in space.
But, if the first half is a riff on Star Trek, the second half is all Star Wars. The alien liquid becomes the MacGuffin that all the characters fight over. As the movie shifts into summer blockbuster mode, the plight of the alien race is ignored in favor of the plight of Wikus and the one friendly alien. Even the heavy-handed apartheid allegory gets lost in the gunfire and obligatory male bonding. Not surprisingly, the "documentary" footage is used less and less, as it would just get in the way of the action.
District 9 has been praised by a few critics as the return of intelligent sci-fi after years of Star Wars clones (which ironically includes the recent Star Trek remake). But District 9 is little more than a low budget blockbuster that makes a few stabs at political relevance. At the end of the day, it just isn't all that smart. But battle mechs and grav guns are really, really cool.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Red Faction: I like it and so should you!
Red Faction: Guerilla seems to be one of those games that came and went without much interest from the gamer community. This surprised me a bit, since it's actually a great game that's part of a fairly well known franchise.
Are people tired of open sandbox games? Or are games set on Mars just too cliched? I think one significant criticism is that the multiplayer was somewhat unambitious, especially in comparison to the vast, open world of the single player campaign. And a game without a good multiplayer just isn't going to have much staying power in today's market (except for big RPGs like Fallout or Oblivion).
Are people tired of open sandbox games? Or are games set on Mars just too cliched? I think one significant criticism is that the multiplayer was somewhat unambitious, especially in comparison to the vast, open world of the single player campaign. And a game without a good multiplayer just isn't going to have much staying power in today's market (except for big RPGs like Fallout or Oblivion).
Sunday, August 2, 2009
So there's this guy with a ring...
Green Lantern: First Flight
Green Lantern, the red-headed stepchild of DC Comics, finally gets a movie. Of course, it's a direct-to-video animated feature, so don't get too excited.* For those not in the know, Green Lantern is Hal Jordan, a test pilot recruited by an intergalactic policing organization called the Green Lantern Corps. The Corps is run by little blue men from the center of the universe called the Guardians of the Universe. Each Green Lantern is equipped with a ring that can manifest any shape or weapon that the bearer imagines.
The movie breezes through Hal Jordan's origin story and immediately jumps into a plotline centering on a disaffected Corpsman named Sinestro. Lots of minor characters from the Green Lantern comic get cameos, but most are given only token characterization. The Star Wars influence is palpable, as the characters jump from location to location with a minimum of dialogue to get in the way of the action. And as action movies go, Green Lantern isn't half bad.
The movie uses the cartooning style and simplified character design pioneered by Bruce Timm. If you've seen an episode of Justice League or Superman: The Animated Series, the style will be immediately recognizable. While it may lack the detail that some animation enthusiasts crave, the characters move smoothly and the ring effects are particularly well done. The voice acting is also uniformly good.
But for anyone who isn't already a diehard Hal Jordan fan, the main character will feel very insignificant. In comic circles, Green Lantern occasionally gets grief as the epitome of the personality-free superhero of the 1960s. In fairness, the movie's Hal Jordan does have a personality, but it's the personality of a very dumb guy who's exceptionally lucky. While scenes at the very beginning hint at a character with a decent sense of humor, most of the movie consists of Hal looking confused while other characters explain the plot to him.
Overall, Green Lantern: First Flight is a decent sci-fi action flick. Just don't expect much more from it.
*Apparently, there is a big budget live action film in the works, starring the guy who played Deadpool.
Green Lantern, the red-headed stepchild of DC Comics, finally gets a movie. Of course, it's a direct-to-video animated feature, so don't get too excited.* For those not in the know, Green Lantern is Hal Jordan, a test pilot recruited by an intergalactic policing organization called the Green Lantern Corps. The Corps is run by little blue men from the center of the universe called the Guardians of the Universe. Each Green Lantern is equipped with a ring that can manifest any shape or weapon that the bearer imagines.
The movie breezes through Hal Jordan's origin story and immediately jumps into a plotline centering on a disaffected Corpsman named Sinestro. Lots of minor characters from the Green Lantern comic get cameos, but most are given only token characterization. The Star Wars influence is palpable, as the characters jump from location to location with a minimum of dialogue to get in the way of the action. And as action movies go, Green Lantern isn't half bad.
The movie uses the cartooning style and simplified character design pioneered by Bruce Timm. If you've seen an episode of Justice League or Superman: The Animated Series, the style will be immediately recognizable. While it may lack the detail that some animation enthusiasts crave, the characters move smoothly and the ring effects are particularly well done. The voice acting is also uniformly good.
But for anyone who isn't already a diehard Hal Jordan fan, the main character will feel very insignificant. In comic circles, Green Lantern occasionally gets grief as the epitome of the personality-free superhero of the 1960s. In fairness, the movie's Hal Jordan does have a personality, but it's the personality of a very dumb guy who's exceptionally lucky. While scenes at the very beginning hint at a character with a decent sense of humor, most of the movie consists of Hal looking confused while other characters explain the plot to him.
Overall, Green Lantern: First Flight is a decent sci-fi action flick. Just don't expect much more from it.
*Apparently, there is a big budget live action film in the works, starring the guy who played Deadpool.
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